Microplastics effects on wettability, pore sizes and saturated hydraulic conductivity of a loess topsoil

verfasst von
Leila Shafea, Vincent J.M.N.L. Felde, Susanne Karoline Woche, Jörg Bachmann, Stephan Peth
Abstract

Environmental contamination with microplastics (MP, 0.1 µm – 5 mm diameter) potentially threatens various soil functions and agricultural production. In this study we evaluated the effects of MP on physical soil parameters (saturated hydraulic conductivity, water retention and water repellency) at MP concentrations (0.5 to 2 % w/w) that have been reported for farmland soils. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polystyrene (PS) of three sizes ranging between 0.5 and 3 mm diameter, were mixed with loess topsoil material from an agriculturally used Luvisol. Results show that increasing MP concentration decreased the saturated hydraulic conductivity (ksat) compared to the control soil (without MP), irrespective of MP type. The highest reduction of ksat was found for the highest concentration (2 %) and the largest size MP (approx. 3 mm diameter). Compared to the control, MP addition significantly decreased soil water retention with increasing concentration. In contrast, air capacity was increased with MP addition where strongest effect was found for largest PET particles at the highest concentration. Soil water repellency (measured as Wilhelmy Plate contact angles) was increased at a concentration of 2 % and for MP sizes > 1 mm, while no effect was observed for lower concentrations and smaller MP. In conclusion, MP type, size, and concentration did affect key soil physical parameters, likely to negatively influence plant growth in contaminated soils.

Organisationseinheit(en)
Institut für Bodenkunde
Typ
Artikel
Journal
GEODERMA
Band
437
ISSN
0016-7061
Publikationsdatum
09.2023
Publikationsstatus
Veröffentlicht
Peer-reviewed
Ja
ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete
Bodenkunde
Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung
SDG 2 – Kein Hunger
Elektronische Version(en)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2023.116566 (Zugang: Offen)